Lee K C, Kraus W Lee
Dept of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Jul;12(5):191-7. doi: 10.1016/s1043-2760(01)00392-7.
The actions of lipophilic hormones, including steroids, retinoids, thyroid hormone and vitamin D(3), are mediated through a conserved superfamily of nuclear receptor proteins that function as ligand-regulated, DNA-binding transcriptional activators in the chromatin environment of the nucleus. The ligand-dependent transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors is enhanced by various cofactors that remodel chromatin, acetylate nucleosomal histones and contact the basal transcriptional machinery. The current challenge is to understand the mechanistic details of how interactions among these factors enhance transcription of hormone-regulated genes assembled into chromatin. Current biochemical and cell-based methods are providing some important clues.
亲脂性激素的作用，包括类固醇、视黄酸、甲状腺激素和维生素D(3)，是通过一个保守的核受体蛋白超家族介导的，这些蛋白在细胞核的染色质环境中作为配体调节的DNA结合转录激活因子发挥作用。核受体的配体依赖性转录活性通过各种辅助因子得到增强，这些辅助因子重塑染色质、使核小体组蛋白乙酰化并与基础转录机制接触。当前的挑战是了解这些因子之间的相互作用如何增强组装成染色质的激素调节基因的转录的机制细节。目前的生化和基于细胞的方法正在提供一些重要线索。
